A gut feeling: The birth of Emery

"I know, he's going to have a tough time spelling his name."

I’m 25 years old and from Fort Smith, AR. I gave birth to my son on July 8, 2014—right on his due date!

Like all new expectant moms, I was very anxious on that early morning of my due date. I woke up around midnight to make sure I had everything ready. I just had that gut feeling that he would come that day.

So around 4:30 a.m., while watching “Game of Thrones,” my water broke. At first I wasn’t sure if it was my water breaking (because it was my first pregnancy). I went straight to the bathroom. I woke up my husband. I was all calm, and he’s all looking around the bed for the wet spot all panicky!

We waited till 6 a.m. to head to the hospital because my contractions were still far apart. My plan was to try to have my son all natural, but around 7 a.m. that’s when my contractions got worse. Oh, I will never forget the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt!

By 9 a.m. I was already dilated 7 cm, and that’s when I asked to have an epidural. By 1:30 p.m. I was ready to push! And, by the way, having a cold while in labor was rough. I couldn’t really breathe. Also, they put me on an oxygen mask because my son’s heart rate would go down every time they gave me Pitocin. The nurse made a safe decision to turn the Pitocin off.

When my son was ready to come out at 3:33 p.m., my doctor asked my husband if he wanted to deliver him, which was awesome! And I got to cut his umbilical cord. As soon as he was out, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. He was 7.9 ounces and 20 inches long with a head full of hair!

We named him Emery Jayce Iglesia Keuangloundara. (I know, he’s going to have a tough time spelling his name.) It was such a blessed experience to have—and I was only in labor for nine hours!

Send us your birth story! Whether you had a home birth, hospital birth, 37-hour labor or emergency C-section, we’d love to read the tale of your little one’s grand entrance. Write up your birth story (click here for tips on getting started) and email it, along with a few photos, to birthstory@pnmag.com. We’ll share it on our Birth Day blog and may even print it in an upcoming issue!

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Pregnancy & Newborn is a print magazine and online community that embraces the trials and triumphs of motherhood. From positive pregnancy test, adorable bump pics and real-deal contractions to sleepless nights, heart-melting coos and first words, we're here to cheer you on every step of the way.